News Summary
- Aprilia has confirmed that Jorge Martín will travel to Malaysia despite fracturing the distal radius of his right forearm during the Australian MotoGP sprint.
- Martín has not yet received medical clearance to compete at Sepang, with further assessments expected before the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend.
- The Spaniard trails Marc Márquez by just ten points in the 2026 World Championship, with four scheduled rounds remaining after the cancellation of Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix.
Aprilia has confirmed that Jorge Martín will travel to Malaysia for this weekend’s MotoGP Grand Prix despite the fractured right forearm he sustained at Phillip Island, as the Spaniard attempts to return to competition less than a week after his Australian sprint accident. However, his participation at Sepang International Circuit remains uncertain, with medical examinations still required before he can take part in Friday’s opening practice session.
The Italian manufacturer announced the decision on Tuesday (October 27), confirming that Martín is continuing treatment for a non-displaced fracture of the distal radius. The 2024 World Champion remains second in the 2026 standings, just ten points behind Ducati’s Marc Márquez, making his recovery particularly important with only four scheduled rounds remaining.
Aprilia confirms Martín’s trip to Malaysia after Australian injury
Martín suffered the injury on Saturday, October 24, during the Australian Grand Prix sprint at Phillip Island.
The Spaniard was fighting Márquez for the lead when he crashed at Turn 8 on the eighth lap.
Initial medical examinations identified a fracture of the right radius and raised concerns about a possible second injury involving the ulna.
However, subsequent examinations ruled out the suspected ulna fracture, confirming that the only established injury was a non-displaced fracture of the distal radius.
The more encouraging diagnosis allowed Martín to continue treatment without immediately returning to Spain.
Aprilia has now taken the next step by confirming that its rider will travel to Malaysia.
In its official preview of the Sepang weekend, the manufacturer stated that Martín was receiving the prescribed treatment and that his fitness would be evaluated over the coming days.
The announcement confirms his intention to attempt a return, but does not establish that he will be allowed to race.
Martín admits return is impossible to predict
Martín adopted a cautious tone when discussing his recovery.
Although the championship situation gives him a strong incentive to return as quickly as possible, the Aprilia rider acknowledged that it is too early to determine whether he will be able to compete at Sepang.
“I’m getting the treatment I need to recover from the injury and arrive at Sepang in the best possible shape,” Martín said in Aprilia’s official statement.
“It’s impossible to make any predictions. We have to assess the situation day by day.”
The declaration is significant because it comes directly from the rider after his latest medical assessment.
Rather than guaranteeing his participation, Martín emphasised the need to monitor his recovery and assess how his arm responds to treatment.
The decision will ultimately depend on the medical evaluation and whether he is considered capable of safely controlling a MotoGP motorcycle.
That assessment is particularly important because the fracture affects the distal radius, close to the wrist, an area subjected to considerable forces during braking, acceleration and direction changes.
Why travelling to Sepang does not guarantee Martín will race
A rider travelling to a Grand Prix is not the same as receiving permission to compete.
Martín must undergo a medical assessment before participating in official track activity.
The evaluation is expected on Thursday, October 29, ahead of Friday’s opening practice.
If doctors determine that he is fit, the Spaniard could be allowed to attempt a return on the Aprilia RS-GP.
However, medical clearance would not necessarily guarantee that he could complete the entire weekend.
Pain, restricted movement or an inability to manage the physical demands of riding could still affect his participation.
Sepang is particularly demanding because of its long straights, heavy braking zones and high temperatures.
The circuit measures 5.540km and features 15 corners, including ten right-handers and five left-handers.
Its first and final corners require substantial deceleration, placing considerable loads on the riders’ arms and wrists.
Those characteristics could make returning less than a week after a forearm fracture especially difficult.
The earlier assessment of Martín’s prospects for the Malaysian Grand Prix explained why Aprilia had been cautiously optimistic about a return without surgery.
The latest announcement confirms that the attempt is continuing, but the essential medical decision remains pending.
Márquez holds ten-point lead after Australia cancellation
Martín’s recovery could have a decisive influence on the World Championship.
The Spaniard arrived at Phillip Island leading Márquez by two points.
However, the Australian sprint changed the standings dramatically.
Martín crashed without scoring, while Márquez went on to win and reclaim the championship lead.
The Ducati rider collected 12 points, moving to 365, while Martín remained on 355.
That left Márquez ten points ahead.
The gap could have increased substantially during Sunday’s main race because Martín had already been declared unfit following the accident.
But poor visibility forced the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix, preventing any further points from being awarded.
Consequently, Martín arrives at Sepang still within ten points of the championship leader.
MotoGP 2026 — Leading contenders before Malaysia
| Pos. | Rider | Manufacturer | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. MÁRQUEZ | Ducati | 365 | — |
| 2 | J. MARTÍN | Aprilia | 355 | -10 |
| 3 | M. BEZZECCHI | Aprilia | 315 | -50 |
Championship standings following the Australian sprint and cancellation of Sunday’s main race. The complete standings after Phillip Island include every rider.
The Malaysian weekend offers another 37 points, with 12 available in Saturday’s sprint and 25 in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
A maximum of 148 points remains across Malaysia, Qatar, Portugal and Valencia.
If Martín is declared fit and can race competitively, he could reduce the deficit or even regain the lead at Sepang.
If he is unable to compete, Márquez will have another opportunity to extend his advantage without facing his closest championship rival.
The complete title calculations for Márquez and Martín before Malaysia detail the results required for the championship positions to change.
Bezzecchi prepares for Sepang as Aprilia monitors Martín
While Martín works towards a possible return, teammate Marco Bezzecchi is preparing for the Malaysian Grand Prix without the same medical uncertainty.
Bezzecchi finished fourth in the Australian sprint and remains third in the championship with 315 points.
The Italian expressed disappointment that Sunday’s race at Phillip Island could not take place, but welcomed the opportunity to return to Sepang.
“I can’t wait to get to Sepang, especially since we couldn’t race at Phillip Island,” Bezzecchi said in Aprilia’s official preview.
He also expressed hope that the weather would allow the team to continue its development work.
Aprilia therefore enters Malaysia with two different objectives.
Bezzecchi will seek to remain competitive and close the championship deficit, while Martín’s immediate priority is obtaining medical clearance.
The manufacturer’s ability to compete with both riders could prove important to its results over the final four rounds.
When is the Malaysian MotoGP Grand Prix?
The Malaysian Grand Prix takes place at Sepang International Circuit from October 30 to November 1.
Friday features two MotoGP practice sessions, while Saturday includes qualifying and the sprint.
Sunday’s main Grand Prix is scheduled for 20 laps.
Malaysia MotoGP — Key session times
| Session | Malaysia (MYT) | UK (GMT) | India (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP1 — Friday, Oct 30 | 10:45am | 2:45am | 8:15am |
| Practice — Friday, Oct 30 | 3:00pm | 7:00am | 12:30pm |
| Qualifying — Saturday, Oct 31 | 10:50am | 2:50am | 8:20am |
| Sprint — Saturday, Oct 31 | 3:00pm | 7:00am | 12:30pm |
| Grand Prix — Sunday, Nov 1 | 3:00pm | 7:00am | 12:30pm |
The confirmed Malaysian Grand Prix weekend schedule and international start times provide further information for viewers in Australia, New Zealand and other markets.
Sepang will be the first opportunity to establish whether Martín can return to competition after Phillip Island.
Until the medical evaluation is completed, Aprilia’s announcement should be understood as confirmation of his journey to Malaysia, not confirmation of his participation in the race.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its MotoGP section.
